Flatiron



Oct. 29, 1942. A. M. DICKIE 2,299,569

FLATIRON Filed July 51, 1940 Inventor-z Alexander M. Dickie,

'b x MMLM ,2! H4447 9 is Attorney.

Patented Oct. 20, 1942 Alexander M. Dickie, Ontario, CaliL, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation or New York Application July 31, 1340, Serial No. 348,929

(Cl. 2l9--25) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to flatirons, more particularly to electrically heated fiatirons, and it has for its object the provision of improved terminal and heel rest structures in an iron of this character.

This invention contemplates the provision of I an improved terminal structure for an electrically heated fiatiron, whereby the terminal pins are supported in a simple, reliable and inexpensive manner without the use of screws, rivets 0 similar fastening devices.

It further contemplates an improved flatiron having a one-piece shell which functions as a cover for the sole plat and also lOImS a rearwardly extending heel rest.

A closure plate is provided for closing the space between the shell and the sole plate at the rear. This plate is supported between the sole plate and the shell and is held between them in such a way that screws, rivets or like fastening devices are not needed.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of an electrically heated fiatiron embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragso as to form a peripheral abutment around the section I lib.

The sole plate i0 is covered by means of a shell l5. The'shell it at its point and sides rests upon the ledge it, and it is secured in its assembledrelation with the sole plate by means of a screw H which is directed through an aperture it provided for it in the shell, and which is received in threaded engagement with the sole mentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a portion of the fiatiron of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the closure plate which closes the shell of the iron at the rear.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to an elec-- trically heated fiatiron comprising a sole plate it having a pressing section Ella and a pressure section lllb, ,which preferably will be integrally united with the pressing section in any suitable manner, as by casting the two sections together. Embedded in the pressure section Bill)- elevated somewhat above the ledge M, as shown, 5

plate l0. Preferably and as shown, the edges of the shell at the sides and point will fit relatively close against the abutment defined by the ledge l5. Mounted upon the shell is a handle ltd which is secured to the shell by arms it?) and ltc.

A pair of terminal pins l c are provided for electrically supplying the heating element H through the leads it and the terminals l2. As shown, the pins it are rigidly secured to a terminal support 20. The terminal support 29 comprises a plate-like section M which is provided with a' pair of apertures Ela through which the terminal pins are directed. The terminal pins are clamped to the plate is by means of nuts 22, and these nuts are electrically insulated from the plate by means of elongated electrically insulating sheets 23 covering the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 2i, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The sheets 23 may be formed of any suitable electrically insulating material, such as mica. interposed between the upper sheet 23 and the upper nuts 22 are metallic washers 23a.

The shell is provided with an elongated opening 2 which receives the terminal pins. It is contemplated that the supporting plate 2! for the pins will be mounted under the shell so as to bear on its under surface, and that the pins will project upwardly through the opening 24, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the elongated slot or opening 24 are provided with rounded sections 24a, as clearly shown in Fig. 2,

and the plate 2! is provided with rounded upright beads 25 around the openings through which the terminal. pass, and which are received in the rounded sections 2611' of the opening so as to closely fit the edges of the opening.

The plate 25 is provided at its rear edge with lugs or tongues 26 which are arranged to bear on the under surface of the shell adjacent. the rear edge of the opening 24: it is also provided with a tongue or lug 21 between the lugs 25 and positioned in a plane above that of these lugs 50 that it engages the outer surface of the shell adjacent the rear edge of the opening 24. In other words, when the terminal plate is assembled with the iron, the two lugs 26 and the lug 21 above them function to secure the rear end of the plate to the shell.

The forward end of the plate 2| is provided with resilient feet or tabs 28 which extend downwardly and outwardly, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to engage the top surface of the sole plate i0. Preferably, these members at their lower extremities will be provided with flat feet 28a which bear on the upper surface of the 'sole plate so as to hold the plate up in its position where its beads 25 are received in the opening 24.

Thus, when the shell [6 is secured to the sole plate, the terminal plate 2i will be located below the shell, and its upright beads 25 will be received in the curved sections 24a in the open ing 24. The lugs 26 and 2'! cooperate with the shell at the rear edge of the opening 24 to prevent displacement of the rear end of the plate, and the resilient legs 28 resiliently ngage the upper surface of the sole plate in so as to be stressed sufficiently to hold the plate firmly up against the shell. In this manner. the terminal plate 20 with the terminals rigidly secured to it is securely held in its operative position in the iron. It will be observed that this has been accomplished without the use of screws. rivets or other similar fastening devices. Preferably and as shown, the sole plate will be provided with a pair of parallel ribs 28b which cooperate with the feet 28:: so as to prevent sidewise movement of the terminal plate 20.

The leads l3 are electrically connected with the lower ends of the terminal pins by means of nuts 30.

Preferably, the terminal pins will be surrounded by aterminal guard 3i which is arranged to receive the supply plug of the usual twinsupply conductor (not shown). This guard has a hook 3ia hooked into an aperture provided forit in the rear handle support I80, and with a tongue 3lb received in a slot provided for it in the upper wall of the shell l6, as shown in Fig. l.

The shell I6 has integrally formed with it a rearwardly extending heel rest section 32. The shell tapers downwardly from a point adjacent the forward end of the iron through the heel rest section 32, as shown, and the rear edge of the shell terminates in a curved or folded-in section 33.

The space between the shell and the sole plate at the rear is closed by means of a closure member 3 The closure member 34 is positioned vertically in the iron, and at its lower end is provided with an inwardly extending flange 35 which is adapted to rest upon the rear section of the ledge M, as shown-in Fig. 1. At its upper end, the closure plate is provided with a pair of inwardly extending feet or tabs 36 which bear on the under surface of the shell, as shown in Fig. 2. These feet have at their inner ends up right hooks 31 which are hooked in slots or openings 38 provided for them in the shell and which as shown are located in the ends of the opening 24. The members 31 which are hooked to the shell and the flange 35 which bears upon the ledge l4 securely hold the closure plate 34 in its position to close the shell at the rear. When the shell is in place and secured to the sole plate, the books 31 function to hold the flange firmly against the sole plate with its inner end abutting the edge l5, as shown. Preferably and as shown, the closure plate will also be provided with an upright tongue 38 which is directed upwardly through a slot provided for it inthe top wall of the shell, as shown in Fig. 1. When the shell is in place and secured to the sole plate, the hooks 31 function to hold the flange 35 firmly against the sole plate ledge II with its inner end bearing against the abutment between the ledges l4 and i5, as shown.

The closure means for the space between the rear end of the sole plate and the shell i6 is described and claimed in my copending application. Serial No. 397,413, filed June 10, 1941, which application is a division of the present application.

It will be observed that the terminal pins l9 are supported in a simple, reliable and inexpensive manner without the use of screws, rivets and like fastening devices, and also that the plate 34 likewise is secured without the use of such fastening devices.

The curled or rolled-in edge 33 of the heel rest provides a smooth rounded surface which will not scratch the supporting surface of the iron when the iron is in an upright position on its heel and it will not catch the material being ironed as the iron is tipped back and forth between lts upright and ironing positions.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the provided with upper and lower tongues which receive the rear edge of said opening between them, and the forward edge thereof being provided with spaced downwardly extending resilient feet which engage said sole plate so that said plate is held in position in said opening by said sole plate and shell.

2. An electric fiatiron comprising a sole plate, terminal pins, a shell for said sole plate provided with a terminal pin opening, means detachably securing said shell to said sole plate, a terminal plate mounting said terminal pins arranged to bear on the under surface of said shell and having upraised sections arranged to project up- .wardly in said opening so as to closely fit edges ALEXANDER M. DICKIE.

CERTIFICATE o coRREcTIom. Patent No. 2,299,569- 0ctober 20, 1%2.

ALEXANDER n. DICKIE;

It is hereby certifiedthat error appears inlthe printed specification of-the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, secdid column, line 2, after "plate" insert "ledge 11;"; line 5, for "abutting the edge 15" read --bearing against the abutment between the ledges 1).; and 15"; line 7, beginning with the word "when" etrikeout all to and including "as shown" in line. 12, and insert insteadthe following This tongue further secures the closure platein p1ace--; and that the said Letters Patent should be reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office Signed and sealed this 1st day of December, A. D. 1911.2.

6 'Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

